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Cauliflower Risotto

Cauliflower is a vegetable I do not eat very often, but I have come across a lot of interesting ways of preparing it – it can apparently be used to make a delicious cream-less cream sauce, substituted for potatoes, and imitate the creamy deliciousness of risotto. I was quite intrigued by this recipe for cauliflower risotto in Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Kitchen. It has no rice in it! Cauliflower is the main event in this show, and definitely succeeds in pretending to be a carbohydrate.

Cauliflower is high in calcium, potassium, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B9. It is good for digestion, inflammation, and fights diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Per cup it provides two grams of protein. Even though it can be expensive at the grocery store, this white veggie has a lot of health power.

I started by making the purée. I added all the purée ingredients in a small pot to simmer for 10 minutes, then blended it in a blender until smooth. I put it aside for later.

Next, I made the risotto. Using a food processor, I pulsed about 3/4 of the cauliflower on the chop setting to make a course, rice-like consistency. The remaining amount of cauliflower was cut into small florets.

I heated the olive oil in a small pot and sauteed the shallots until golden. Then I briefly cooked the cauliflower florets for only a few minutes. I added the reserved purée to this mixture, along with the lemon juice, and salt and pepper. This cooked for another 3 minutes. Lastly, I added the rice-like cauliflower and removed the risottos from the heat.

In case you are wondering what to eat with this dish, I made some garlic bread and tofu to go with it. For the tofu I pressed out the water, cut it into little pieces, dunked them in flour, then coated them in a batter (equal parts beer or water and flour) then fried them in some oil. They really mimic chicken and accompany the risotto very nicely.

Sorry for the bad-quality of the picture. I always like having a picture to show to give an idea what the dish looked like when I made it. Enjoy!